


The sweet work.

by phngi



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Not Compliant with Avatar Comics, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Finale, Toph Beifong & Suki friendship, Toph Beifong & Zuko Friendship, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, content warning: anxiety, content warning: parental confrontation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 05:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26467789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phngi/pseuds/phngi
Summary: Immediately following the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender, a short multi-part AU where Toph considers what she wants to do now that the war is over and follows a different career path - one that suits our favorite pint-sized firecracker a little better than law enforcement.
Relationships: Toph Beifong & The Gaang
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	1. Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> There are a lot of things I've come to appreciate more about The Legend of Korra as I've grown older but one thing I never understood was why Toph Beifong became the leader of a police force, when the world was wide open for her. This fic is my attempt at exploring a different writing direction for her character.
> 
> It's worth mentioning that I'm not including the events of the post-series comics either.

Toph stood leaning against the back of her chair, lying in wait for the perfect moment to crack the line she'd just thought of as the others bickered at the table.

“Hey, my belly’s not that big anymore,” Iroh accused with mock offense in his voice as he peered curiously at the parchment. “I’ve really trimmed down!” 

There it was. “Well, _I_ think you all look _perfect_!” she grinned, throwing her arms over her head. 

The group broke into peals of laughter, save for the Fire Lord and his girlfriend, both of whom were still working up to more than a shy chuckle in public - but she’d take what she could get. The sound of light, graceful footsteps to her left told her that Aang was tiptoeing out to the balcony. The poor guy probably needed a bit of space. Who could blame him?

But after a beat, another pair of feet followed suit and slipped quietly past her out to the terrace while Sokka continued to defend his alleged masterpiece. She smiled surreptitiously at Katara's elevated heart rate as she passed. Well, good. It was about damn time for the Sugar Queen and Twinkle Toes. 

“Oh, so those two can’t even bring themselves to _look_ at it anymore?” protested Sokka, brandishing his brush angrily in the direction of his sister’s retreating figure. 

Suki tutted. “Sokka, watch it!” Her lush tunic rustled as she swiped at it with a nearby rag. “You got ink on my sleeve.”

Toph reached cautiously for her cup of tea sitting on the table nearby. She brushed the base with her fingertips, grasped it, and brought the steaming, potent cup of oolong to her lips. “Yeah, leave them be. And will somebody tell the blind girl what _she_ looks like in this thing?”

There was a thoughtful pause as everyone bent over the paper again. 

“You...look okay, actually,” admitted Zuko. “A little cranky.”

“Thanks!” she and Sokka chorused with equal delight. Another round of giggles erupted.

Suki sat back down, sighing contentedly. “I still can’t believe we’re all here, just - _enjoying_ ourselves in the city. I mean, watching a sunset...having tea...yesterday was the first night I haven’t had a nightmare about falling off an airship.”

“I know.” Sokka shifted in his chair to embrace her fingers with his. “It doesn’t really feel like the war’s end has sunk in yet.”

“Well, it has only been a matter of weeks since Fire Lord Zuko assumed the throne.”   
  


They all swiveled to face Iroh who was placing his tsungi horn back into its case gently. The immediate deference to his wisdom was palpable in the room. His gravelly voice was warm but measured as he addressed them. “I can assure you, it will take far longer than that to adjust ourselves to this new world. It is one that we will need to craft - with care, and prudence.

In playing a part in this war, you have all seen elements of what needs to be done to restore balance to all. But dethroning Ozai and instituting a new Fire Lord is only the first step - an important one, but only the first of many. Those of us who seek to achieve unity among the nations, are facing one hundred years of unbalanced Fire Nation power and oppression. One hundred years of pain, anger, and fear. One hundred years of Fire Nation children learning the lie that they are somehow more exceptional than their peers in the other countries. The bitter work will be in dismantling that legacy of hatred and destruction, and building and forging new bridges between the people of the world.”

The playful clinking of a breeze tickling a wind chime outside sounded unfitting in the lull that followed his words. The Beifong heiress's countenance dropped. He was right, of course - it wasn’t over. The fuzzy silhouettes of her parents in Gaoling flashed across her mind. What had gone through their minds when they heard the war was over? Did they care? Could they understand? She certainly hadn’t, before she’d left home and come face-to-face with it...

When Iroh spoke again, she could tell he was smiling. “I say all of this, not to discourage you, but to empower you, as the next generation in each nation. Anyone can be capable of instigating great transformation - and, I find that a fresh, novice perspective has just as much capacity to affect change as an old, seasoned soul who thinks himself wise.”

At once, Toph glowed. The memory of this man, wise indeed, showing kindness and respect to a belligerent and disheveled runaway came to mind. 

“Thank you, Uncle,” Zuko said warmly. “We understand.”

“That’s what got me and the other Warriors out of our comfort zone on Kyoshi Island - meeting you, and Katara and Aang,” Suki leaned toward Sokka as she talked. “Hearing what you were all setting out to do, seeing the reality of the war...It made me want to go out there and see the world to do my part. I’m sure we could do the same for others.”

“Me too. I guess, I also just wanted to get away from my parents,” Toph conceded. “But after a while it really felt like...well, like I was part of something bigger.”

A dry sigh that could only belong to Dagger Lady rattled from the far corner.“ That all _sounds_ perfect, but there are also loyalists causing a menace at home. People who supported the war are out of a job. And plenty of them are too thick-headed to realize how Zuko’s trying to improve things. Unfortunately, that includes my father,” Mai added with more annoyance than usual in those last two syllables. 

Zuko sidled up to her and placed a reassuring hand on her waist. Who would have thought awkward Mister ‘Zuko, here’ knew how to be smooth too? 

But Sokka agreed. “We won the tactical battle, but the rest of this is going to be politics. I don’t envy your job, Zuko.”

Iroh nodded. “Yes. There are already factions forming, people who felt that my brother, and our forefathers before us, had the right idea all along. That is a problem we will need to handle at its source, to win over the hearts of our citizens...but, that is a problem for another day. Now, who would like to try this new blend I’ve made? I think I’ll make it the Jasmine Dragon’s specialty, for our grand reopening.”

They all clamored and raised their cups eagerly, and Zuko instinctively rose to collect them before disappearing into the kitchen. When he returned moments later, he was balancing a tray laden with freshly filled vessels that oozed enticing scents of roasted green tea, jasmine blossoms, and almond - rich and fragrant. She flared her nostrils and sniffed the air intently like a badgermole. Meanwhile, Aang and Katara had edged shyly back into the shop and collected cups from Zuko, standing quite a bit closer together than they usually did - though Toph wasn’t sure if anyone else had noticed that particular detail. It really seemed like you missed so many things when you saw with your eyes instead of your feet.

A gaggle of children scrambled past the shop on their way down the street, their delighted screeches and titters clear as a bell through the open window as they teased each other with raucous joy. A bittersweet feeling needled at her, as though she were suddenly older and nostalgic for something she couldn't identify.

“You know what? I propose a toast,” exclaimed Sokka, standing up once everyone had received their tea. “To the future of the four nations. It’s going to be tricky, and we need to be careful, but let’s celebrate the victory we have and do our part to be ambassadors of a new world. And to our good buddies Aang and Zuko, leading the charge.”

“Hear, hear!” They all drank.

“That was wonderful, Sokka,” Katara said in the calm, tender tone she used when she was genuinely proud of her brother. 

“Yeah, it looks like your public speaking skills have come a long way since the eclipse invasion,” Toph ribbed, quite literally elbowing him in the chest. “Kidding. I mean, they have, but I always knew you had it _deep_ inside you.”

“Hm, I’ll take it,” he shrugged.

* * *

When the sun finally dipped below the horizon and its warmth began to dissipate from the air, they said their goodbyes and prepared to go their separate ways for the evening. Zuko and Mai, staying another night with Iroh in the apartment above the Jasmine Dragon before returning to the capital, waved a fairly cheerful goodbye from the doorway. The rest of them had plans to make their way to an inn just a little ways further away in the Earth Kingdom for the night. Katara had balked at the idea of staying inside the city and no one objected, remembering what had happened in the catacombs and under the lake. It wasn't as though the thought was appealing to anyone else. Even liberated from Ozai's rule, the city remained eerie, and especially so at night when the citizens returned to their homes and the streets grew quieter, guarding their secrets behind each wall. 

Toph, having been the last to exit, grinned and bowed dramatically in the direction of the royal couple before turning away to join her friends. A few yards away, Katara was gushing over how beautiful the sky looked, evidently with a hue “like papaya and violets.” She caught Aang’s reply that he “could think of someone even more beautiful than that,” and immediately strode over to Sokka and Suki instead who were preparing Appa’s saddle. 

“You guys need some help?”

“Oh, Toph, perfect timing - can you earthbend some steps up to Appa’s back?” asked Sokka, holding his rolled-up painting reverently with both hands as though it held a great secret. “I don’t want my work to get wrinkled.”

“Uh...sure, Sokka. I was thinking stairs might be a good idea for _Suki_ , actually.” She pointed behind him and he whipped his head around to see the Kyoshi Warrior heaving two large pieces of luggage in her arms and a third on her back. 

Sokka yelped and pushed the scroll up close to Toph’s face. “Hold this - and _don't_ wrinkle it!” 

He scuttled away once she extended a palm and took the paper, spluttering an apology while Suki tossed a bag pointedly into his arms. Obliging, Toph struck the ground with her heel and a pillar of earth rose to just above Appa’s height. A twist of the ankle, and that pillar became a sloping staircase. The bison lowed softly as though impressed.

“Thanks,” Suki called as she approached. “By the way, Toph, I really liked what you said back there - about how all of this started with your parents, but became something bigger for you.”

“Really? Why?” Toph demanded, almost suspiciously, angling an ear toward her as if she thought she'd heard incorrectly. “It kind of felt like I was just admitting to being sheltered about everything back then. Thanks to my whole being-hidden-away-from-civilization deal, you know.”

“Well...I think it’s something a lot of people will be able to relate to. But speaking of home, I forgot to ask - are you planning to go back to Gaoling to see your parents now that the war’s over? I was planning to go back to Kyoshi Island with a few of the girls to check on how things are going there. I figured we could travel together if you are, since it’s kind of on the way.”

An freezing sensation swirled in the pit of the earthbender’s stomach. It was a subject she’d rather been avoiding for weeks. She turned her face away under the guise of bending down to check something in her rucksack. Another day, maybe.

“Yeah, probably. I’ll, uh, I’ll let you know.” 

That was okay, wasn’t it? Noncommittal. But open. Suki seemed to accept it and began to climb the makeshift steps.

She took a deep breath and began to channel her energy down through her bare soles. Several layers of rock etched themselves into a geological blueprint in her mind almost instantly. Tiny, rapid vibrations in the earth told her that a small rodent-like animal was scurrying through a dirt tunnel, tucked securely below the surface. She traced the tunnel with her bending and followed it, one turn at a time, drawing the map. The flecks of sand and pebbles on the path hugged her feet in a comforting embrace.

Sometimes, focusing on her special technique helped to calm her nerves - yet tonight, her fists were still clenched and her lips were pressed tight. Her nerves were like one of those rodents venturing outside of its tunnel alone, more uncertain and fearful than she’d like to admit.

Sokka’s footsteps advanced from her left and she shook her head, snapping out of her reverie. She turned back around and held out the scroll in his direction before he could open his mouth. “Here you go, the cultural pride of the dynasty. Uncrushed.” 

He accepted it with glee. “And I appreciate that. All packed and ready? I think that’s every- GAH!”

Something whooshed through the air over their heads, clearly coming dangerously close to Sokka’s wolf-tail, and slammed into the ground behind her. It bounced several times in quick succession and rolled several more feet, curving into the wall before coming to a halt. A...ball? 

“Sorry!” came a frantic voice. It was one of the kids who had run past the tea shop earlier. She recognized the voice. They all spun around in the direction of the boy who had called out. He was about her height, thin and spry, judging by the weight of his footsteps which were now rounding the corner. 

“Sorry,” he repeated once he’d drawn level with them. “I guess I knocked it pretty far out of bounds.” There was a bright, friendly quality to his voice, not unlike Aang's. Spreading his feet and grounding his heel, he dug one foot into the ground and slid it sharply backwards. The ball came rolling over to him and he scooped it up. “Cool lemur, by the way.”

Momo, perched around the Avatar's shoulders, chirped happily. Appa grunted.

“And bison,” added the kid.

Sokka squinted at him but softened his gaze within moments. “Just watch where you’re kicking that thing next time.”

“You mean where I’m _bending_ it.”

“What were you playing?” Aang stepped forward eagerly.

“Earthbending ball! Me and some of the other guys started coming up here to play ever since they kicked out the Fire Nation troops. That stack of tanks makes a good challenge. You're looking at the current record holder." He jerked his thumb behind him and though Toph couldn't see where he was gesturing, there was unmistakably a tall, irregular structure a short distance away that wasn't a building. "Hey...you’re the Avatar, aren’t you? Whoa, you're younger than I thought. My name’s Yi, if you wanna join a round, I could teach you - we’d be honored to play with you.”

Surprisingly, Aang hesitated, collecting himself after a pause. “I’d love to, but maybe another day. We need to get going.” He bowed.

"Oh, okay. Well, maybe I'll see you guys around sometime." Yi bowed back, even deeper than Aang had, and waved goodbye as he ran back to his friends.

After he was out of earshot, Katara turned to her new boyfriend. "Is something wrong? You usually jump at the chance to do stuff like that. And you seem...sad."

"Yeah, aren't you the guy who enrolled in a Fire Nation school to throw them a dance party?" Sokka chimed in.

“I do, and I am. It just feels strange...after facing Fire Lord Ozai, and standing up there with Zuko at his coronation...part of me just feels...almost guilty, for doing stuff like that. I don't know...something about it makes me feel like I'm running away from things again. I guess I have to work on unblocking my third chakra,” the airbender confessed sheepishly.

At this, Katara put a firm hand on his shoulder. Toph pictured the kind, loving expression she must have been wearing. “Do you remember what you said to me that first day we met, Aang?”

“Mm...you mean when I asked if you wanted to go penguin-sledding?”

“No - well, _during_ the penguin-sledding. I told you I hadn’t done that since I was a kid, and you reminded me that Istill am one. Aang, you’ve become this incredibly brave and wise Avatar, and you've just ended a hundred-year war - but I'd hate for you to lose yourself now that the war is _over_ and you have the time to enjoy things. You _are_ still a kid. Believe me, I know it’s hard to think of it that way, but you don't have to feel guilty.”

“Katara’s right. You have enough pressure as it is, you don’t need to give yourself any more,” reasoned Sokka. “And I’m the practical, level-headed one so you know it’s true.”

Toph was fairly sure Katara was glaring at him. Aang remained quiet and pensive for several moments.

“I guess you’re right," he said finally, a smile in his soft voice, though he didn't seem entirely convinced. "I mean, it _would_ be a shame to become old and stodgy at only one hundred and thirteen." 

“I wish I could see the look on those kids’ faces if you join them next time, Twinkle Toes. Just imagine, earthbending ball with some good old Avatar state thrown in.” She threw a right jab into the air.

He laughed. "So, Toph, what _is_ earthbending ball anyway?”

“...You’re asking _me_?”

“Well, you’re an earthbender from the Earth Kingdom and - “ 

“ - _and_ my parents never let me interact with other kids. No one even knew the Beifong family had a daughter, remember?”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I had my fun at Earth Rumble tournaments. It would have been nice though, not having to go underground for it.” 

Aang's hand patted her on the back gently. “Maybe you won’t have to anymore.”

As the group tossed the last bag onto Appa’s back, she concentrated on her feet again. The pile of Fire Nation tanks sat like a towering obelisk, standing out amongst the uniform shops and houses lining the streets, and she carved its outline carefully into her memory until the last possible moment. Leaping lightly into the saddle, and holding onto Katara’s arm for guidance, she nestled into her usual spot, quiet and pensive for once. The air tonight was cool and soothing, as it had been for weeks since they were no longer wanted fugitives. She inhaled deeply as Appa kicked off and they rose up to meet the sky. The roots of an idea were starting to take shape in that stubborn head of hers, and when an idea that was good enough got into Toph Beifong’s head, it put its feet up and called the place home.


	2. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toph and Suki arrive in Gaoling to confront the Beifong family after the war, which unearths quite a few things (pun intended).
> 
> CW: family confrontation, parents, panic attacks, anxiety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a minute but finally felt like updating after the 2020 USA election ended and we could breathe a sigh of relief...

“We’re almost there! I can see the city walls!”

Suki’s reassuring voice was loud, clear, and chipper. A strange tone to strike, considering they’d spent the past week dragging themselves across the Earth Kingdom using two hitched wagons, one ferry across the Serpent’s Pass, their own exhausted feet, and now an overly energetic eel-hound galloping through what had to be hills, judging by the rather unwelcome swooping sensations.

Toph bowed her head and clenched her teeth against the queasiness in her stomach as the bouncing motion sloshed her insides around. She didn’t dare slacken her grip on Suki’s waist despite the fact that her fingers were getting sore. 

“...Great.”

_She was the blind bandit._

_She hadn’t yet met a rival she couldn’t trounce, including metal._

_She had ripped a Fire Nation airship to shreds in midair with comet-powered, firebending soldiers ready to fully murder her, just the other month._

_So, compared to all that, what was it about her parents that still thinned the air in her lungs and made her pulse skyrocket?_

“Hey, Toph, are you okay? You’re, uh, kind of digging your nails in pretty hard.”

“What? Oh,” she readjusted her grip hurriedly. “Sorry. Just, uh, eel-sick.”

“Well, we can set your stomach at ease soon. I bet your parents are going to be so thrilled to see you.”

“...Yeah. I hope so.”

_Maybe it was something to do with not knowing if they’d read her letter, if they’d lock her in the house again, if they hated her. Stuff like that._

Soon, the eel-hound gave a satisfied snort and began to slow its pace to a brisk stride and eventually to a halt. 

Suki reached down to her waist and tapped Toph’s hand. “You can let go now. We’re at the front gate. I’m going to hop off and help you down.”

Toph nodded, accustomed to the procedure after all their time together. She released one hand at a time, finding the edges of the saddle with her fingers and gripping it carefully. Nodding again to signal that she’d found her balance, she heard a shuffling sound as Suki leapt from the rider’s seat, a muffled thump as she landed on the soft ground, and light footsteps as she drew level to help her cantankerous companion dismount.

The outlines of the world blossomed before Toph as soon as she touched down. Her feet drank in her surroundings like a gulp of cool water and she curled her toes, massaging the soil. 

“Yes, LAND!” She slumped to a sitting position and clenched fistfuls of grass.

At the same time, Suki had just finished lifting the bags off of the eel-hound’s back and was rubbing its snout affectionately. It emitted a high-pitched trill from the back of its throat.

“So, where to?” asked Suki, handing Toph her bags. A heavy gate embedded in the thick, dusty walls sat a few meters away. Toph’s ears pricked up, detecting two tall, burly men walking towards them from just outside the gate’s enormous doors.

She pointed at the men. “We should probably ask them. I don’t really know this place.”

“Is there something wrong with your bending? You can’t find your house?”

“That’s...not what I mean.”

Approaching with authority in their heavy, armor-clad footsteps, the guards called out to them once they’d come near enough. “Afternoon, ladies. What’s your business here in Gaoling?”

She felt Suki straighten her spine and widen her legs to a soldier-like stance next to her. “My name’s Suki, I’m passing through on my way to Kyoshi Island. And this is Toph Beifong. We’re here to - ”

“ - Beifong?” 

Of course, that skeptical tone. Toph lifted her chin, tucked her messy bangs behind her ears, and reached into one of the outer pockets on her knapsack. When she stretched her hand out, it was holding a sturdy, dark green slip of paper emblazoned with a glittering winged boar.

“I believe _this_ should be sufficient evidence? I’m a relative of Lao Beifong here in Gaoling,” she said with practiced ease, dangling the family crest in front of them. “One of their nieces. And I believe my aunt and uncle aren’t fond of waiting around, so if we can speed this along...”

“Ah, the official Beifong seal! Of course, right away, miss. But, I’m afraid we’ll need more time to process your friend’s entry to the city, especially if she isn’t a Gaoling resident.”

“And _why_ is that?” Toph demanded, wrinkling her nose high in the air.

The guard with an older, deeper voice and heavier gait stepped forward and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, miss, but with the Fire Nation’s recent occupation of Ba Sing Se and the surrounding towns, we can’t be too careful. Orders are orders.”

“But the war is over.”

He shrugged while his partner chuckled condescendingly. “So they say. As of yet, the situation is unclear. We can’t be too careful.”

“And who knows how far the fire nation’s royal fruit fell from the tree, you know what I mean?” added the younger one bitterly as he squinted suspiciously at Suki.

The Kyoshi Warrior began to retort. “I’m a - “

“ - Exactly, so are you going to deprive me, a _tragically blind_ Beifong heiress, my most trusted valet in these troubling times? I can’t afford to wait for your little _process_ here. If you know my family seal, then you should have no problem taking my word for it that she is to be trusted.” 

Toph let the sentence dangle in the air like bait on a hook. The silence, followed by the pair of nervous heartbeats, signaled her cue to continue.

“She’s only escorting me here before she returns to her own family on Kyoshi Island for a well-deserved vacation. While she’s here, I’m sure Uncle Lao wouldn’t mind holding himself personally responsible for her,” she pressed. “But if the Fire Nation _did_ show up at our gates again, are _you_ going to hold yourself personally responsible for what might happen to myself and my aunt and uncle if you tie up my companion here?”

Gulping, the younger guard shifted uncomfortably and scratched his face. His boss made a sound like he was sucking a long inhale through his lip while biting it. 

Finally, he relented. 

“As you wish. But we will need to search your bags, at the very least.”

“And we’ll be keeping an eye out for any trouble,” added the second guard with an unmistakably accusatory tone - the one Toph was seriously considering launching into the air with a boulder. 

“Naturally,” she replied.

Some minutes later, after the guards finished rifling through their rucksacks and patting down their rather annoyed eel-hound, the travelers continued on foot through the gates and headed into the main street, Toph holding Suki’s arm lightly to keep up the ruse. The eel-hound slunk behind them, sniffing the air every once in a while, Suki’s other hand holding its lead. Once they had gotten directions to the estate and were out of sight of the guards, Suki clapped Toph on the shoulder triumphantly.

“That was _way_ better acting than what we saw on Ember Island,” she laughed. “So, um, why are we pretending your parents are your aunt and uncle?”

Toph grimaced as they continued walking. “Remember when I mentioned that no one really knew my parents had a daughter? See...my parents were so afraid of something happening to me - y’know, because of the whole ‘blind’ thing - they kind of...didn’t tell anyone about me. The only people in Gaoling who know about me are the people who worked for us. And Master Yu. He was supposed to be my earthbending teacher, ended up trying to capture me a couple times, then that’s when I figured out how to metalbend so I trapped him in a box and...well, I don't actually know what happened after that. “

"Oh. I...didn't realize it went all the way to the top. I guess it does sound suspicious if we insist that your parents have a daughter.”

Toph hated the way her friend’s voice sounded, even if she didn’t blame her for it. Mainly because the whole notion sounded more ridiculous every time she heard it out loud. Her pulse began to quicken again and she turned her head away.

“Yeah. I haven't even seen my parents since I left with Aang, so I bet it's been real easy to keep up the lie. I had Katara send them a letter from me when we were traveling around the Fire Nation but I don’t know if they read it.”

“I...oh, wait, you dropped your seal.” Suki bent down and handed the paper back to her. Toph furrowed her brow as she took it and placed it deep in her pocket again. She hadn’t even noticed that it had slipped from her fingers.

There was a brief but palpable silence as they continued down the street and turned a corner. The din of the busy marketplace began to grow distant and the sounds of small animals scurrying over houses replaced it. A few children, yards away in some alleyway between buildings, were playing what she guessed was something like the earthbending ball game that Yi kid had told them about in Ba Sing Se, judging by the way they were bending and the cheers and whoops that accompanied them. 

“I’m sorry. I bet it’s hard for you to come back here after all that,” said Suki. “I don’t mean to get into your business but if you want me to be here, I’m with you.”

Raising a soft fist, Toph made a motion as if to punch Suki on the shoulder but merely nudged her gently with her knuckles. 

“Thank you.”

* * *

Within the hour, they arrived at the glistening entrance to the expansive, almost palatial Beifong estate. The smell of peonies and hydrangea bushes floated into their nostrils.

“Now this, I remember,” said Toph. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled. 

“Ready?” asked Suki.

“Probably not.” But the earthbending prodigy strode on anyway. _Meet it head-on_ , she always said. And she lived by what she preached. 

She approached the three guards standing outside, dedicated to protecting the Beifong estate independently of the Gaoling government. 

“Miss, please state your name and business,” grunted one of them to her right.

She swept her hair behind her ears again and tilted her head upwards so he could see her face. 

Instantly, all three guards scuttled over. “Miss Beifong?!” 

“Yes, it’s me,” she replied grimly with an uncomfortable smile, her voice barely carrying over cries of ‘ _Is it really you? Where have you been?’_ and _‘Your parents will be overjoyed to see you’ve returned safely’_ and of course, ‘ _Why don’t you have any shoes on?’_

Clearing her throat, she beckoned toward Suki who was standing a few feet away with the eel-hound. “This is my friend, Suki. She’s from Kyoshi Island. Could you get our eel-hound some water...and let my parents know that we’re here?”

“Of course, Miss. Right away, Miss. Please,” one of them said, his tone incredulous as he reached a hand out to Suki. It was as though he couldn’t believe she’d made a friend in the first place. “I will take care of your eel-hound. We have a paddock on the grounds where he can rest.”

He whisked the eel-hound away around to a side entrance while the other guards moved to take their luggage. They stacked the few bags in a neat pile by the guard station and assured them that the items would be moved to their quarters in no time. Two of them began to move in on Toph and steer her shoulders to guide her but she held up a hand.

“But, Miss Beifong - “

“No, I can do it. But you can open the gate and lead the way,” she added, softening her tone slightly. 

The guards acquiesced, though uncertainly at first, and drew open the huge, ornate doors with a rumbling, scraping sound. One marched in front of her, keeping only a short distance away and a watchful eye while the other ran ahead, presumably to alert her parents of their arrival. Toph listened as his footsteps receded, wondering how she’d feel when those footsteps returned. Suki strode alongside her, turning this way and that to take in the estate.

“Wow, this place is beautiful,” she marveled, looking around at the finely trimmed lawns, picturesque pools, and gracefully twisting trees. “We certainly don’t have places like this on Kyoshi Island.” 

“Enh,” Toph shrugged jokingly. “You’ve seen none of it once, you’ve seen none of it a million times.” Suki laughed, not catching the tiny tremor in her friend’s voice.

They made their way steadily up the wide garden path toward the main house. The dirt felt familiar. With each step, the mental images she'd carved of her childhood home jolted into her mind and memories flashed back and forth. 

She saw the bushes where Aang, Katara, and Sokka had first approached her, before she had sicced the guards on them. 

She saw the decorative stone tower that she had once toppled in an attempt to show her parents what she’d learned from the badger moles, much to their dismay. 

She saw the outlines of her parents standing at the top of the steps, lurking, waiting for her, and ready to pounce. Armed to the teeth with their fears, worries, and need for control.

But that one wasn’t a memory. Suki looked up and uttered a soft “oh.”

There they stood, Lao and Poppy Beifong. Large as life. And stock-still with what she assumed was either disbelief or rage. 

She could barely feel their heartbeats over the pounding of her own.

_Did they hate her? Did they miss her?_ _Did they hate her?_ _Would they keep her a secret forever?_

_Did they hate her?_

She’d break out, leave. She’d never let that happen again. There was hardly a prison that could hold her now. The strip of meteorite wrapped around her wrist began to quiver.

“...Toph?”

“Hi, Dad. Mom. I...I’m home.” She attempted an uneasy smile. 

If the silence that had ensued earlier with Suki in the street had been awkward, it was nothing compared to the tension that followed these words. The only thing that finally broke it was her mother’s quiet, shuddering gasp. 

“Oh, _Toph!_ ” her mother cried, suddenly running and throwing her arms around her. Engulfed in her mother’s silk robes and thick perfume, she felt slightly dazed. Tears began to well in her eyes. 

“Oh, oh. Let me look at you.” Poppy held her daughter at arm’s length and wiped away a tear from her own eye. “Why, Toph, have you been running around barefoot all this time? In just these plainclothes? You poor thing, we must get you inside soon. A hot bath and a hot meal, that's what you need.”

But Toph didn’t move, noticing that the same could be said for her father. “Did...did you get my letter? I mean, the letter my friend wrote for me.”

“Yes, oh, dear, yes we did,” the lady of the house said breathlessly. “And we were _so_ relieved, darling, to hear from you after all that time. That dreadful Avatar, dragging you into such things.”

“No, Mom, remember? In my letter, I told you, Aang and I are friends. I went with him on my own.”

At this, Lao stiffened and abruptly turned on his heel, beginning to walk back toward the house.

“Dad, wait.” She could feel them, another wave of tears swimming just below her eyeballs. He was going to disappoint her. It was certain. “You’re not even going to speak to me?”

He continued walking. 

“Oh - Lao, for goodness’ sake - don’t mind him dear, we’ve just been so terribly worried about you these past few months. It was good of you to get your friend to send a letter but you must tell us where you were, we couldn’t write back, according to your note. What have you been up to all this time? Have you been eating well?”

Speedy footsteps to her left suddenly distracted Toph before she could decide whether to answer her mother or not as her ability to inhale was suddenly incapacitated. Suki was running up the stairs to her father. The thought of calling out for her to stop crossed her mind, but the words didn't escape her lips. 

“Sir,” Suki said when she reached him, clearly trying to keep the anger out of her voice. “Isn’t it true that you haven’t seen your daughter in months? Don’t you think you should at least give her a chance to explain herself?”

He turned slowly to glare at her. “And who might you be?”

“I’m Suki. I’m from Kyoshi Island and I’m friends with your daughter and the Avatar as well. We’ve been traveling back together for days, trying to get Toph home. To you.”

Toph’s head was swimming. She could tell from her mother’s tightened grip that she was shaking. The ground swayed. Her blood ran cold. She was plunged underwater one moment and thrust into the stratosphere the next. The images she rendered from her bending grew fuzzy and suddenly there was nothing, just nothing.

“So,” he sneered. “You all deliberately ran off with the Avatar and took my daughter away from home, away from where she is safe. And did what? Took her off to fight in a _war_? A blind little girl? You’re both children, it’s a miracle either of you are even alive!”

“Then you should be grateful that you can speak to her again! And your daughter is one of the strongest benders I’ve ever seen!” Suki snapped.

“She is RECKLESS!” Lao let out a strangled scream. “The Avatar filled her head, and probably yours, with all sorts of delusions about what her part in this war was. And now she is telling me that she ran off on her own? Causing her mother and I to fret and worry every single day on _purpose_? We spent so many hours, so many years, teaching her and ingraining in her that someone like her needs to be _careful_ , and for what? Not even that idiotic Master Yu and Xin Fu could find her, we thought her as good as dead!”

_Wait...Master Yu? Xin Fu?_

The thought clicked and wedged itself between the cogs in her mind that were already spinning out of control. 

“...You sent Master Yu and Xin Fu after me? It was you?”

She knew everyone was staring at her, but suddenly she didn’t care. She shrugged off her mother’s wrists and turned her torso toward the sound of his voice. The landscape began to reveal itself again. Her feet found the ground, found her mother, and Suki. Found her father. “Don’t bother lying. I can tell if you do.”

Although Toph herself didn’t seem to notice, Suki saw the stone floor directly beneath Toph’s feet begin to crack just the slightest bit. 

Lao sighed. It was more of an impatient exhale, really. “When the Avatar - when you left with the Avatar, I summoned them to bring you home. I offered them a pretty sum for your safe return, but they couldn’t even manage that.”

“My _safe_ return?” Toph took a vicious step forward. The crack in the stone grew. “Those maniacs got the secret police of Ba Sing Se to send a letter pretending to be you, they said you’d come to see me in the city. I was all ready to go and meet you, and you know what they did? Ambushed me, grabbed me, threw me in a tiny metal box, and carted me off away from my friends right when they needed me! I thought those dunderheads just wanted to see if they could blackmail you into paying for me - you know, like they did the night I left? They didn’t tell me my own _father_ hired them.”

She took a deep, shaky breath, and planted her heels. In one swift motion, she thrust both fists in front of her and then to opposite sides. Two giant earthen pots holding exotic, imported plants burst into shards and collapsed in a pathetic heap on the floor as Lao and Poppy yelped in surprise.

“Suki, let’s go. I can’t be here right now.”

Suki threw one more glare in Lao’s direction before turning on her heel and leaping down the steps to join Toph.

Poppy tried to catch her daughter’s hand. “Toph, wait, please. Don’t go yet. You only just got here, your father and I, we just...let’s talk this out, dear, can’t we?”

Toph shook her head and shook her mother off. “I just can’t be here right now. You should read my letter again. I don’t think you understood it. But maybe you just don’t understand me.” 

* * *

They collected their luggage and the eel-hound on their way out, having found him relaxing peacefully in one of the little ponds in the southern courtyard. One of the guards stammered out a kindly protest against the young miss leaving so soon, but went on so long that Toph threw a six-foot rock wall up between them. If there were ever a time when she wasn’t in the mood...

When they finally left the estate grounds and turned down the next empty street, she felt Suki put a hand on her shoulder. She halted.

“Hey...that was rough. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

Toph shook her head sharply. “It’s not like I thought coming home would be easy. I knew they’d be mad. That’s the whole reason why I sent them that letter.”

She paused to sniff and wipe her nose on her sleeve. 

“I know I hurt them when I left. And I actually felt _sorry_. But I don’t...ugh, how could they _do_ that to me?”

Her voice slipped as the snarl turned into a soft sob. Suki pulled her swiftly into a hug, the taller girl holding her shaking shoulders protectively. Leaning into the embrace, Toph thought of the way Katara held her like this when they were imprisoned together in the Fire Nation and more hot tears spilled out. Maybe she shouldn’t have come here without the rest of them. Maybe she shouldn't have come here at all. She wanted her family - the family that knew the real Toph - by her side. Thank goodness for Suki, at least. They stood together quietly in the deserted alleyway as rickety carts drove by in the distance. Even their animal companion seemed to perceive the mood and waited calmly, nuzzling Toph with its reptilian snout.

Wiping her face again as the shudders faded, she cleared her throat clumsily. “Thanks, Suki. Best part of the trip so far, right?”

“Yeah, a real pleasure,” Suki played along. Toph could tell she was shaking her head. “Your dad is...a real piece of work. If he weren’t your dad, I’d vote for turning him into fish food for that monster in the Serpent’s Pass. Or we could always take him back to Kyoshi Island with me and feed him to the unagi. Er, kidding,” she added. 

Toph cracked a small smile and resumed walking, almost unconsciously following the path she used to take to burrow her way to Earth Rumble XI. How nostalgic.

“I can't believe your so-called teacher tried to kidnap you along with...what’s-his-name?”

“Xin Fu. He ran Earth Rumble, this underground earthbending tournament I used to secretly compete in. Those were the best memories I had here. You’re looking at the reigning champ, The Blind Bandit.” She pointed toward her own chest proudly, albeit a little less enthusiastically than usual. “Twinkle Toes tracked me down there. Long story short, we got in a tussle and since he used airbending to knock me out of the ring, Xin- _Fool_ thought we scammed him and ganged up with a bunch of wannabes and captured us. I kicked all their butts, blah, blah, blah. But somehow, seeing me fight at my best just made my parents _more_ worried. They said they’d been giving me _too much_ freedom. So, I ran away with Aang and everyone. You know the rest.”

“Too much freedom? When they’d already been hiding you from everyone?”

“Yeah. And once they found out about the Earth Rumble stuff, I knew I’d never get to fight again if I stayed. Those tournaments were the only times I really felt like...like myself. It gave me a real outlet. It made me feel like I could be really _good_ at something I actually cared about, without having to hide it. And, oh man, the _crowd_ every time they realized the champ was this little girl...even Sokka lost it.”

“Oh yeah, I can imagine,” snorted Suki. 

They arrived at a small square bustling with people. She could feel the huge cavern of the Earth Rumble arena deep below their feet and smiled again, savoring the memory. But a loud screech almost reminiscent of Momo interrupted her thoughts.

“Hey! HEY! AREN’T YOU THE BLIND BANDIT?”

Three pairs of feet yards away to their right suddenly came scurrying forward. She turned in their direction. Two were tall and lanky, one was average height and ran the fastest. All of them sounded like teenagers.

“Who’s asking?” she demanded. She wiped her eyes quickly before crossing her arms and smirking. 

One of the tall ones, a boy who had yelled first, couldn’t contain his glee. “I told you it was her! You’re a _legend._ We’ve been Earth Rumble fans for ages, we still talk about your match last year against The Boulder. Where have you been? Is it true you threw your last match to split the prize money? Are you really, you know,” he dropped his voice to a whisper. “A _Beifong_?”

“Huan, you can’t just ask her all that,” hissed the shorter one, apparently a girl.

“But, are you?” their third companion interjected thickly.

She took her time and considered them while relishing the effect. After everything that had just happened?

“...Yes. You’re talking to the real deal, Beifong and all. And, uh, no, I didn’t throw the match. But I’ll be happy to go a round with anyone who thinks I did.” She interlaced her fingers and pushed her arms out, cracking the joints menacingly. 

The three oglers whooped and cheered. 

“Well, this might be a little beneath you,” started the girl shyly. “But we were just about to go play some earthbending ball and, well, it’d be AMAZING if the Blind Bandit herself would join us.”

Toph cocked her head to head to one side. The memory of Yi asking the same thing of Aang in Ba Sing Se egged her on. What had Katara said? Something about still being allowed to be a kid. Maybe it was finally okay to be aboveground for once. No illegal gambling rings, no scams.

She turned to ask Suki but the latter was a step ahead and pushed her forward gently. Toph could tell she was smiling. “Go for it. I’ll get us a room at that inn over there. They have a barn and I think our eel-hound could do with some more rest too.” 

Toph grinned, first at her friend and then at her fans. Even now, Earth Rumble was the gift that kept on giving. “You’re on. But you’ll have to explain the rules to me. Also, Suki?”

“Yes?”

“Can you get some paper and something to write with? I have something I want to ask Twinkle Toes and his royal majesty.”


	3. Sportsmanship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 3, finally! 
> 
> In which Toph figures out what she wants to do as far as contributing to the rebuilding of a post-war society. And I repeat, it ain't being a cop.

It was taking _ages_.

The sun was going to set, the water in the pond was going to dry up, and she was going to find and eat one of those turtle-ducks by the time this conversation was ready to happen. Not to mention, if she had to listen to the grinding sound of Aang whooshing those stupid marbles around for more than five more minutes she was going to - 

“Toph? Are you okay?” 

“No! I’m not! I’m hungry. And we haven’t even started! How long does it take to settle an argument about….what was it again?” she whined, throwing her arms open in exasperation. Aang was kneeling next to where her prostrated figure was sprawled unceremoniously on the ground. She wrinkled her nose. Royal courtyard turf was too...neat. Too kept. It was itchy, somehow. 

“I think it was about military presence in the former colonies. It sounded like pretty complicated stuff. Come on, give him a break. I’m sure he’ll be here any minute.”

“There’s that good old Avatar optimism again. Fine, but just put those things away for a bit, will you?”

She guessed that he was pouting in the brief pause between her request and the sound of the little orbs being stuffed hastily back into a pocket; and she, never one to be outdone, promptly stuck out her tongue. 

Even though it was true that she was losing patience with Zuko’s lack of punctuality, the courtyard he’d left them in was proving to be a more amusing vantage point than she’d expected. Throughout the hour, nobles and officiants had been bustling along the pillared pathways that bordered the grassy square, coming and going from their so-called important meetings. Unbeknownst to them, her ears and feet today were wonderful spies and terrible gossips that delighted in passing their whispers on to their master.

“ _Don’t breathe a word of this to anyone, but I think you’ve got to give him credit - I’m considerably less nervous in the throne room compared to, well, when his father was in charge. You just...don’t feel like he’ll shoot lightning at you if you say the wrong thing._ ”

“ _You owe me 5 gold pieces! It IS on the right side! What? Oh, I KNEW you would back out of this, you cheapskate, we said OUR right, not his right…”_

“ _No - wait - don’t look now but isn’t that the Avatar? Who do you suppose that...dirt girl is with him?”_

At this, a laugh backed its way up through her nose into a derisive snort, startling the scrawny, wizened man who had been peering over the wall at them. He moved to scurry away at once, fumbling with his stack of documents while beckoning frantically for his companion to follow him. Aang looked up at the sound and made a quizzical noise.

“I’m just starting to think I should take a job as Zuko’s royal lie detector. You should get a load of what these guys are saying. But speaking of…”

Trailing off, she sat up suddenly and pointed over Aang’s shoulder. 

“Sorry I’m late,” came the dry, brittle voice of the Fire Lord as he approached, sounding even more exhausted than usual. “If I’d known it was going to take that long I would have told you to meet me somewhere more comfortable.”

“How did the meeting go?” Aang cut in quickly before Toph could ready any sarcastic remarks. 

“Not well. It was a step in the right direction, but the citizens...urgh, I don’t want to talk about it,” Zuko replied, massaging his temples. “Let’s head to one of the war chambers. We can talk there.”

Toph decided to take her chances. “Your war chambers don’t have snacks, do they?”

He was definitely staring at her.

“Nevermind.”

Following Zuko’s lead, they made their way through several palace hallways, each more grand and luxurious than the one before. The way each footstep echoed and reverberated gave her some inkling of the size of the corridor, yet the details remained fuzzy. Though many floors and parts of the walls were stone, much of the structure seemed to be made of wood. A bit ironic, in her opinion, considering which nation they were in.

They finally slowed near the end of a quiet passageway and entered through a pair of doors with metal detailing. Lo and behold, a familiar figure was waiting for them inside, lounging languidly on an ornate bench as if she were a cat just waking up from a nap.

“Hello,” said Mai, sitting up, a shy smile in her voice. 

“Mai!” exclaimed Aang brightly. 

“Hey, Fire Lady,” said Toph. 

“Well, technically, she’s not the Fire Lady - I mean - ” the former prince began matter-of-factly before stopping in his tracks, suddenly aware of the pit he was about to fall into. “She’d be the Fire Lady if we were married - which we’re not - not that I wouldn’t - um…” he descended rapidly into an inaudible mumble. 

Mai stretched, stood up, and strode smoothly over to them, presumably to rescue her self-destructing boyfriend amid Aang and Toph’s giggles. “Calm down, Zuko. I just wanted to sit in on something less overtly political, I didn’t think I was going to derail the meeting already.” 

“Anyway,” he said hastily, clearly still blushing as he turned to face Toph. “Mai’s been helping with transitioning our occupying troops and government officials out of Omashu. She could help with coordinating your idea there with King Bumi, in another major Earth Kingdom city. We read your letter, but I think it’d be helpful if you ran through it from the top.” 

She nodded. He gestured at a large, low table surrounded by poufs in the center of the floor. They took their seats and everyone looked at the tiny earthbender seated at the head, rapt with attention.

Placing both hands on the smooth surface of the table, she cleared her throat. “So you guys know this part, but basically, there’s this sport in the Earth Kingdom that’s gaining traction called Earthbending Ball. I know, the name needs some work. But I think we can use it to help bring people together while the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation are figuring out what to do with the former colonies.”

“Is it really that popular?” Aang inquired.

“Not as much as it could be. It’s a pretty casual thing. Apparently the basic rules were invented ages ago and now it’s mainly kids in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se who _really_ get into it, but people in other towns play their own versions too.

For those kids - especially the ones who don’t have a lot - playing that game is the best part of their day. I spent a lot of time with some people in Gaoling who got me into it and it was, well, kind of amazing. They only get to play in little fields and back alleys but they’d make friends on the spot with people they’d never met before, and even kids who weren’t benders came to watch and hang out from across town. It brought a _community_ together. And you know what that reminded me of, Twinkle Toes?”

“...Earth Rumble?” blurted the Avatar, eager to have the right answer.

She nodded slowly, smirking with her eyes closed.

“What’s Earth Rumble?” Mai and Zuko chorused.

Aang jumped in. “It’s this awesome place where we met Toph. That was when I knew she just had to be my earthbending teacher.”

“That still doesn’t tell me _what_ it is,” Zuko countered testily.

Toph held up a hand to signal that she would continue. “Earth Rumble was this secret, underground tournament in Gaoling. One-on-one earthbending matches, first to fall out of the ring loses. We’d fill the stands every week. You had to have a nickname or some other identity to compete and people really got attached to cheering for different fighters, so they’d take bets too - and if they were smart, they’d bet on me, the Blind Bandit, also known as the undefeated champion.”

It was always impossible to keep the pride at bay when she mentioned her Earth Rumble escapades. Not that she tried very hard to do so.

“I see.” Zuko sounded slightly muffled, likely from his habit of stroking his chin and covering his mouth when he was deep in thought. “I think I’m following. You want to set up something like your Earth Rumble tournaments for this Earthbending Ball sport, so people all around the Earth Kingdom can have a real place to play. An event to get excited about.”

“But not underground or illegal this time, obviously,” Aang amended, his intonation dancing between a demand and a question. 

Toph gave a nonchalant one-shoulder shrug. “I knew Katara was having an influence on you already. Yes, Goody-Two-Shoes, a legal version this time. But it’s more than that - I want to evolve the game and promote it as something new for people to do together. I think there’s a way to combine the good stuff about Earthbending Ball and Earth Rumble together.”

Mai drummed a set long fingernails on the arm of her chair. “Why change it? If your death match tournament thing already exists and you know it works...”

“Because, Earthbending Ball is a _team_ sport.”

She took a moment. They were waiting for her to elaborate, but the memory of her father turning away from her leered dangerously at the edge of her mind. She felt her pulse starting to accelerate and instinctively grabbed her own wrist. Not now. She shoved the thought away, hard.

“Look, my parents wouldn’t let me do anything because they were so paranoid about me being blind. They never accepted me or my skills in bending. Sneaking away to Earth Rumble tournaments was the only place where I could be myself and feel connected to people for once. It _saved_ me. I mean, can you imagine if I’d had teammates too? Friends? It would have changed everything. It _did_ change everything,” she added, directing the words toward Aang in particular. “If we can give people in the former colonies a way to be on the same team, maybe it can change things for them, too.”

Her heart slowed, returning to beat in time with her inhales and exhales once again. Good. That was better.

“I think it’s a great idea,” the airbender said warmly. “You said yourself the tension between people from the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom in the colonies has been getting worse since you took over, Zuko. It’s got to be hard on them, especially the kids. Both sides feel like they’re losing their home, if they haven’t lost it already. Maybe they do need some fun. I know the Air Ball games I played a hundred years ago were always the talk of the temple and it was a really special time for us, too. Even the monks used to love it.”

“I don’t disagree,” Zuko replied flatly, as though he were skeptical of how much “fun” factored into this conversation but couldn’t be bothered to argue. “But I still have questions. First of all - I know it means a lot to you personally, but this isn’t the only team sport out there. And it only targets people who can bend earth. Why not use the games we play on the beaches of Ember Island? Anyone can play those, even non-benders. And second, if this is an earthbending sport you want to promote for the Earth Kingdom, why are you talking to me about it and not Kuei?”

“Easy answers, O Great Fire Lord.” Toph cracked her neck and leaned back in her chair. “Anyone can cheer even if they can’t play. Most of the people at our Earth Rumble crowds weren’t benders themselves. But more importantly - you want to ease the tension between our nations in old colony territory? Then we’re going to err on the side of giving the Earth Kingdom the spotlight by using one of _our_ games. You might not be the one who caused this mess, but you still have to answer for what your country did. And it’s not a good look if we keep pushing more of _your_ culture onto the people your family has tried to conquer for years. Not while you’re trying to prove that you’re really on everyone’s side as the new head honcho here. The Fire Nation doesn’t get to run tanks through Ba Sing Se and then give us suggestions for how to have a good time.”

Aang turned to Zuko. “She’s right. As the Avatar, I have to agree that correcting the imbalance created by the war has to go further than moving the military around. The Fire Nation needs to empower the other nations to recover and grow, but on their terms. Letting those nations make their own decisions and seeing where they need help. They need to feel like their own culture still belongs to them.”

Toph noticed he was fiddling with his beaded Air Nation pendant, which jingled softly as he spoke.

After a long and pensive silence, Zuko finally let out a repentant sigh. 

“Okay. That’s a fair point. But that still brings me back to my other question. If it’s vital that we step back and let other nations handle their own matters, then we shouldn’t be leading the charge on this at all. So what do you need from me?”

She threw him her most impish smile. “What does anyone need from royalty? Cold, hard cash.”

Standing up, she placed her palms on the table again and leaned forward. 

“Here’s the deal. Earth King Kuei’s...not the fastest hawk in the skies, if you know what I mean. He’s still riding the high from traveling the world with that pet bear of his, and the Dai Li have controlled him his whole life. He doesn’t get this stuff. And I’m not exactly in a position to use the Beifong name since I haven’t had a normal conversation with my parents in a year.

But you’re in charge of the wealthiest nation in the world. You have a stake in how the former colonies are doing. And it’s in _your_ best interest to show the rest of the world what a good guy you are now. If you help fund these projects and contribute to rebuilding parts of the Earth Kingdom, everybody wins.”

“Well, Zuko?” Mai drawled after a beat. “I still can’t believe people actually pay to watch benders beat each other senseless - but I suppose it’s a productive use of our resources.”

“Hmm,” he muttered, still pondering. His tone wasn’t dismissive, though. The Fire Lord rose from the table too and began pacing around the room. Meanwhile, Toph sat down patiently, knowing she had said her piece. For the moment, her move was to wait and listen. 

The minutes ticked by. Zuko must have made at least five painstakingly slow revolutions around the perimeter of the chamber before he returned to the table and wandered over to stand next to Toph. When he spoke, his words were thoughtfully chosen, filled with the humility and conviction of a leader. 

“I’ve seen firsthand what different parts of the Earth Kingdom have had to go through. I know they’ve been ravaged by the war, and our nation has a long way to go to earn their trust again. As the Fire Lord, I also can’t ignore the way this transition has been hard on my citizens who got caught up in everything. If helping to develop this idea will help bring peace and balance from within to these regions, even in a small way, then...I’m in favor of it.” 

Toph let out a cackling whoop while Aang laughed. “YES! I knew you wouldn’t let me down, princey.”

“Hang on,” Zuko raised his hands in a calming gesture. “It’s not a blanket agreement. You’ll still need some level of support from leaders and citizens in the Earth Kingdom. Like you said, it has to feel like it came from them. When the time comes, we’ll need to discuss exactly how much financial aid the Fire Nation can be expected to provide. We’re not a bottomless pit of gold, you know.”

Toph snickered. “I’ll take it. You’ve got a deal.”

He moved to make the signature Fire Nation bow and winced as she punched him on the arm instead of returning the salute. 

“So you’re on board with this?” he asked Aang while rubbing his forearm where the punch had landed.

“It’s got the official Avatar stamp of approval! I’m happy to help spread the word. Who knows, maybe one day we can make it so benders from all nations can play together.”

Mai made a noise that sounded like a cross between a scoff and a groan as they all rose and began to head for the door. “Well, then you’ll really have to rename it.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Toph said, waving a hand impatiently. “I’ll figure that out when we get there. That’s going to be the least of my worries for now.” 

The delicious feeling of victory seeped through her body like cold water. Not the kind of icy blast that blew through her heart when she thought of mothers and fathers. It was refreshing, vibrant, cleansing. She was ecstatic - giddy, even. Things were moving, and also...grounded, again. 

Mai and Aang stepped out into the hallway first, the former taking the lead to guide him through the labyrinthine passages toward the dining hall for supper. Before Zuko could cross the threshold to join them, Toph tapped him lightly on the shoulder and waited for him to turn around.

“...Thank you, Zuko. You won’t regret it. This is the first time I get to call something my own, and I’m going to make it count.”

“I know you will,” he said gently while she glowed. “But after this we’re even, okay?”

She tilted her head inquiringly at the shift to a harder tone.

“This is your...your field trip, or whatever you want to call it.”

She blinked, puzzled, then burst into raucous laughter. “Man, jokes just really don’t feel right coming from you.”

“I don't joke,” he replied as seriously as he could, knowing full well she could detect the tint of attempted humor. She smiled and shook her head as she followed his billowing robe out to the hall. Really, the joke was on him. Meeting dragons, breaking out of prison, and tracking a murderer? Please - that was nothing compared to going into business with Toph Beifong.

* * *

“So, that’s where we train, and over here is the trophy room. Uh, surprisingly, no actual trophies in here. I guess the winning teams take them home. Should have realized that way sooner, probably, but we _do_ display all the previous season winners here. Anyway, if all goes well, you’ll see yours truly on that wall in a few weeks.” 

Korra laughed as the jovial boy clad in padded gear winked at her. “Confident, aren’t you?” she teased, crossing her muscular arms and raising an eyebrow. 

“No, no, I’m a very down-to-earth guy. Really. Look it up in the dictionary, it says ‘Bolin’ right next to ‘realistic’.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Hey, check this out,” he pointed to her left, at a metal bust set on a pedestal at the back of the room. Plaques and photographs radiated out along the walls from the statue, which was clearly meant to be a centerpiece. “ _That’s_ someone you might recognize from the history books.”

“Is that...Toph?” said Korra incredulously. She bent down to look closer. “Oh, man. I wish I could meet her, every story about her just sounds so amazing.”

“I know, right? As if metalbending weren’t cool enough on its own.” He sighed dramatically. “She’s my hero. No contest. The greatest earthbender, a friend to the Avatar, and the inventor of pro-bending - I mean, if it hadn’t been for the stuff she’s done, I’d probably still be on the streets instead of living it up with that crowd every night.”

Korra studied the bust carefully, admiring how the artist captured such a fierce, stubborn look. She guessed from the sculpted expression that this woman would have gotten along swimmingly with the current Avatar as well. Two tough cookies cut from the same cloth - or at least, that’s what she liked to think. 

“Oh! I’ve gotta run, it’s almost time...you wouldn’t want to...come and watch, would you? I could probably get you into the guest box.”

“You mean it?” she nearly shrieked, not noticing her companion blushing. “I’ve been dying to see a match ever since I got to Republic City. What Tenzin doesn't know won't hurt him, right?" She muttered the last part to herself.

  
Moments later, she took an involuntary gasp when they entered the stadium. Squinting through the blinding lights, she waved to Bolin as he ran off to join his teammates and scanned the scene, taking it all in. The energy from the crowd was nothing short of infectious. The roars, the cheers, the sheer scale of it all - this, _this_ was what she imagined the city was like; not, as she had first experienced, just obnoxious taxis and packed streets and irritating beat cops. This was people from all nations, coming together for a good fight and a good time. Leaning against the railing and looking out at the playing field, she wondered if she had been here before in her last life, if Aang had helped make this dream come true, if he had been a part of creating the legendary Toph’s vision. Her eyes sparkled as the commentator began shouting into the microphone, sending the masses into a tizzy. Something in the back of her mind told her Aang must have been part of it - that she must have been - because how could anyone who had her spirit stay away from something like this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This AU isn't so much a diss at how LoK canon played out as much as it is a love letter to a character that really meant a lot to me growing up. And the Toph I knew was too headstrong, too practical, and too much of a maverick to be part of institutionalized bureaucracy. Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading and thanks for sticking around for the third chapter!


End file.
